As used herein, “/” denotes alternative names for the same or similar components or structures. That is, a “/” can be taken as meaning “or” as used herein.
The filtering of unwanted packets is a normal part of most network devices and is performed in either hardware or software or a combination or both. The present invention is directed to an unconventional/non-standard Universal Serial Bus (USB)/Ethernet interface to the network. The Ethernet chip filtering mechanism was inadequate and the DirecTV RTP packets had unusual attributes.
Most network-connected devices today, employ some type of low-level packet filtering to reduce time spent by the CPU processing unwanted packets not destined for the device. The hardware filtering available on one of the devices in a MFH3 system, proved inadequate. Time spent filtering packets at the software level was bogging down channel changes, guide acquisition, gaming speeds, etc. Additionally, the software filtering designed to catch all unwanted packets was being done at the task/application layer/level, rather than at the (more conventional and much faster) interrupt/driver/data link level/layer. The software filtering was being done at the task level, due to the complications of packet reassembly imposed by the unconventional combination USB/Ethernet network interface.